Sep. 12—Two of the state’s perennial powers in boys tennis squared off on Wednesday night in Zionsville — and the match-up didn’t disappoint.
Fifth-ranked Zionsville out-lasted second-ranked Carmel 3-2 in a thriller, in what could be a precursor to a meeting later this year in the sectional.
“That was a battle,” Zionsville head coach Earl Allen said. “At the beginning of the year, you know this is on the schedule, so you are building and building to get ready for this match. For us to pull this out, it’s a big boost to the confidence and the guys are pumped up.”
It was a postseason-like atmosphere for the team’s with a large crowd of teammates, parents and fans cheering on every point and surrounding all the courts.
Allen said that alone will provide giant benefits for the Eagles as they hit the second half of the season.
“Anybody in the state who can beat Carmel — that can breed and boost confidence,” he said. “Most of the time you just want to know that you can do it and keep it close — but to do that and get a win in an environment like this — that’s huge for us.”
The match came down to the top two singles spots.
Carmel led 2-1 through the other three matches — meaning Zionsville had to win the final two spots to get a win.
They got the tying point at No. 2 singles, when senior Carson Fu won 6-4, 7-5.
Fu battled adversity throughout, leading 3-0 early in the second set, then trailing late. His opponent also had a lengthy injury timeout and they were forced to switch courts in the middle of the set due to darkness, but Fu won the final three games to get the win.
“That was a gutsy win,” Allen said. “That was a match that could have gone sideways with all the stops and starts. We just wanted him to stay focused on his side and play good tennis.”
That turned all the attention to the No. 1 singles court and Zionsville’s Jose DeAndrade and Carmel’s Wesley Worobel.
The Carmel Junior won the first set 6-3, but DeAndrade won the second 6-4. DeAndrade then dominated the third set, taking it 6-2 to win the match for himself and the team.
“We just told him to play his game and play the tempo he wants to,” Allen said. “We wanted him to construct the points the way he likes them and not let Wes necessarily run the match.”
At No. 3 singles, Zachary Reed lost 6-3, 6-0 for the Eagles.
The No. 1 doubles team of Tyler Barker and Tyler Reed lost 6-4, 6-2, but the No. 2 doubles team of Monroe Holifield and Gordon Moore won by the same score.
“Our doubles teams have been phenomenal,” Allen said. “They have really been playing well and gelling. We have tried some different combinations because we have new players in those spots, but they have been performing.”
The Eagles are right back in action against Brownsburg on Thursday, then face No. 1 Brebeuf on Monday ahead of the HCC Tournament.
Allen said the Eagles are in a good spot, but have room for improvement in the final three weeks of the regular season.
“This has been great and for us — we still aren’t plateauing, we are building,” Allen said. “This was a great win tonight, but we told the guys, ‘the work begins tomorrow.’ We have to treat every single opportunity as a new event and keep working until we reach out goals.”
Will Willems is the Sports Editor of the Lebanon Reporter. Follow him on Twitter @Will_Willems.
